String the buggers up!

What would you make a hanging offense?

News this week that three MPs are trying to force a debate to reintroduce the death penalty.

This is supported by a change in the law which requires a debate in Parliamant should a petition be put forward containing 100,000 signatures. This is at least a step towards true democracy - and as bloggers I think we can give ourselves a richly deserved pat on the back for playing a big part in gettng the requisite number of signatures.

The proposal is to re-introduce the death penalty for the murder of a police officer or child, but I thought I'd take a look back at some of the 222 capital offenses that were around in early Victorian England...

* murder
* treason
* stealing from a shipwreck
* damaging Westminster Bridge
* stealing goods valued at five shillings (25p) or more
* highway robbery
* stealing letters
* poaching
* blacking yourself up at night
* impersonating a Chelsea Pensioner
* cutting down young trees
* begging without a licence if you are a soldier or sailor
* being in the company of gypsies for a month
* "strong evidence of malice" in children 7-14 years old
* stealing horses or sheep
* writing a threatening letter
* arson
* destroying turnpike roads
* unmarried mother concealing a stillborn child
* stealing from a rabbit warren
* robbery in dwelling house
* housebreaking
* high Treason Coining
* stealing in a shop
* returning from transportation
* sacrilege
* pickpocketing goods worth more than one shilling
* forgery

I can think of a few modern ones we could add such as :

* lying in Parliament
* claiming fraudulent expenses
* hacking phones
* writing and distributing computer viruses
* entering the country illegally
* profiteering
* claiming excessive bonuses
* driving a BMW or an Audi
* abetting dog fouling
* claiming someone else was driving when a motoring offense was committed

...and I'm sure you have a few ideas of your own you could add to the list!

And in the light of the last few days, perhaps we should add rioting, looting, arson and inciting civil disturbance to that list?

String the buggers up!

What would you make a hanging offense?

News this week that three MPs are trying to force a debate to reintroduce the death penalty.

This is supported by a change in the law which requires a debate in Parliamant should a petition be put forward containing 100,000 signatures. This is at least a step towards true democracy - and as bloggers I think we can give ourselves a richly deserved pat on the back for playing a big part in gettng the requisite number of signatures.

The proposal is to re-introduce the death penalty for the murder of a police officer or child, but I thought I'd take a look back at some of the 222 capital offenses that were around in early Victorian England...

* murder
* treason
* stealing from a shipwreck
* damaging Westminster Bridge
* stealing goods valued at five shillings (25p) or more
* highway robbery
* stealing letters
* poaching
* blacking yourself up at night
* impersonating a Chelsea Pensioner
* cutting down young trees
* begging without a licence if you are a soldier or sailor
* being in the company of gypsies for a month
* "strong evidence of malice" in children 7-14 years old
* stealing horses or sheep
* writing a threatening letter
* arson
* destroying turnpike roads
* unmarried mother concealing a stillborn child
* stealing from a rabbit warren
* robbery in dwelling house
* housebreaking
* high Treason Coining
* stealing in a shop
* returning from transportation
* sacrilege
* pickpocketing goods worth more than one shilling
* forgery

I can think of a few modern ones we could add such as :

* lying in Parliament
* claiming fraudulent expenses
* hacking phones
* writing and distributing computer viruses
* entering the country illegally
* profiteering
* claiming excessive bonuses
* driving a BMW or an Audi
* abetting dog fouling
* claiming someone else was driving when a motoring offense was committed

...and I'm sure you have a few ideas of your own you could add to the list!

And in the light of the last few days, perhaps we should add rioting, looting, arson and inciting civil disturbance to that list?

A Tottenham rioter speaks out...

I mean, it's about time someone did sumfin' about wot's bin goin' on in Tottenham, init? I mean, you know, the police - I mean they're totally outa order in't they?

They're always pickin' on me and me gang. Just the uvver day I was walkin' down the street mindin me own business - I mean I weren't doing nuffing wrong and the old bill just picked on me for nuffin' just 'cos I was wearin' a hoodie and carryin' a sports bag. I mean, it's 'cos I's black, init?

And then they nicked me jus' 'cos I had a couple of kilos o' grass. I mean, a couple o' kilos for Chrisake. That's nuffin' - it's just for me personal use like! It's not like I was goin' sell it on or nuffin'! I mean, I wouldn't! And then they picked on me for me knife! I said to 'em, I said "Look - if you lived round 'ere and you wos carrying a couple of Ks in yer bag, you need a knife to protect yerself. It's common sense, init?"

Anyhow, I got me own back on Saturday when it all kicked off 'cos they shot that poor sod in the week. Way I heard it, they stitched 'im up. I mean fancy gunning the bloke down and then planting that gun on 'im to make it look like he was dangerous. I mean, even shooting that coppers radio to make it look like he was goin' for 'em! I mean, do they fink we're stupid or somefin' to fall for that one!!

I admit I done that supermarket while it was all goin' down but I mean that's fair enough. The capitalist bastards that own it deserve it. I mean the price they're chargin' for fags and booze these day, it just ain't right. They're bloody rippin' us off and anyhow they can afford to lose a bitta stock. I mean they're insured ain't they so it's not like it goin' to cost 'em nuffin' at the end of the day.

And anyhow it's about time the filth had a bit a bit o' stick, know wot I mean? I mean who do they fink they is telling us law abiding citizens wot we can and can't do? I mean, it ain't democratic is it?

I was a good crack and I reckon we should do it regular 'tho I 'spect it'll all die down, like, now the football's back and we got somewhere else to let off a bitta steam...

A Tottenham rioter speaks out...

I mean, it's about time someone did sumfin' about wot's bin goin' on in Tottenham, init? I mean, you know, the police - I mean they're totally outa order in't they?

They're always pickin' on me and me gang. Just the uvver day I was walkin' down the street mindin me own business - I mean I weren't doing nuffing wrong and the old bill just picked on me for nuffin' just 'cos I was wearin' a hoodie and carryin' a sports bag. I mean, it's 'cos I's black, init?

And then they nicked me jus' 'cos I had a couple of kilos o' grass. I mean, a couple o' kilos for Chrisake. That's nuffin' - it's just for me personal use like! It's not like I was goin' sell it on or nuffin'! I mean, I wouldn't! And then they picked on me for me knife! I said to 'em, I said "Look - if you lived round 'ere and you wos carrying a couple of Ks in yer bag, you need a knife to protect yerself. It's common sense, init?"

Anyhow, I got me own back on Saturday when it all kicked off 'cos they shot that poor sod in the week. Way I heard it, they stitched 'im up. I mean fancy gunning the bloke down and then planting that gun on 'im to make it look like he was dangerous. I mean, even shooting that coppers radio to make it look like he was goin' for 'em! I mean, do they fink we're stupid or somefin' to fall for that one!!

I admit I done that supermarket while it was all goin' down but I mean that's fair enough. The capitalist bastards that own it deserve it. I mean the price they're chargin' for fags and booze these day, it just ain't right. They're bloody rippin' us off and anyhow they can afford to lose a bitta stock. I mean they're insured ain't they so it's not like it goin' to cost 'em nuffin' at the end of the day.

And anyhow it's about time the filth had a bit a bit o' stick, know wot I mean? I mean who do they fink they is telling us law abiding citizens wot we can and can't do? I mean, it ain't democratic is it?

I was a good crack and I reckon we should do it regular 'tho I 'spect it'll all die down, like, now the football's back and we got somewhere else to let off a bitta steam...

Gotta pick a pocket or two...

News from one of Britain's top coppers that Romanian gangs are smuggling children into the UK to pick pockets.

Rob Wainwright, director of Europol, the European Police Office, said the criminals use young children as modern-day Oliver Twists. He said: “A lot of the problems affecting the UK flow in from south-east Europe. It’s not just drugs, there’s also human beings trafficking.”

"They live in groups of 20 and are sent out early to high streets, where they carry out pickpocketing, mobile phone theft, shoplifting, you name it. The Met got on to this when they started picking up one or two 12 and 13-year-old boys and girls from Romania and they thought they were isolated cases."

“We were brought in and, by patching up with Romanian authorities and the Met, and also using our ­analysts to look behind the intelligence of these apparent trends, we uncovered this international network of 1,200 children.”

Seems that they are also attracted by our somewhat generous benefits system. Wainwright's comments came as 9 Romanians were ­recently sentenced to 10 years in prison at Southwark Crown Court for an £800,000 housing benefit, tax credit, income support and child benefit scam. Benefit fraud costs Britain £1billion a year.

So it seems a really good idea to bring these extra Eastern European countries into the EU, doesn't it? Well, not if you're British it doesn't!

But there is a bright side to this - apparently 80% of all street crime in Paris is attributed to Romanian gangs. Kind of repays the buggers for Sangatte doesn't it. Serves them right!

Don't say I didn't tell you this was going to happen...

Gotta pick a pocket or two...

News from one of Britain's top coppers that Romanian gangs are smuggling children into the UK to pick pockets.

Rob Wainwright, director of Europol, the European Police Office, said the criminals use young children as modern-day Oliver Twists. He said: “A lot of the problems affecting the UK flow in from south-east Europe. It’s not just drugs, there’s also human beings trafficking.”

"They live in groups of 20 and are sent out early to high streets, where they carry out pickpocketing, mobile phone theft, shoplifting, you name it. The Met got on to this when they started picking up one or two 12 and 13-year-old boys and girls from Romania and they thought they were isolated cases."

“We were brought in and, by patching up with Romanian authorities and the Met, and also using our ­analysts to look behind the intelligence of these apparent trends, we uncovered this international network of 1,200 children.”

Seems that they are also attracted by our somewhat generous benefits system. Wainwright's comments came as 9 Romanians were ­recently sentenced to 10 years in prison at Southwark Crown Court for an £800,000 housing benefit, tax credit, income support and child benefit scam. Benefit fraud costs Britain £1billion a year.

So it seems a really good idea to bring these extra Eastern European countries into the EU, doesn't it? Well, not if you're British it doesn't!

But there is a bright side to this - apparently 80% of all street crime in Paris is attributed to Romanian gangs. Kind of repays the buggers for Sangatte doesn't it. Serves them right!

Don't say I didn't tell you this was going to happen...